This invention relates to the field of textile or material fabrication and processing; in particular to an apparatus and method for reciprocation of one or more needles for such fabrication and processing purposes, particularly for tufting, needling and sewing purposes.
Tufting, needling and sewing are well known processes which are characterized by the reciprocating use of at least one needle for the purpose of making or processing textiles or related materials. Tufting is a method of inserting, with needles, pile yarn into pre-made substrates. Carpets and bed coverings are examples of products commonly obtained by such processing. Needling is a process whereby batting--layers of non-woven fibers--are pierced with barbed needles to produce, for example, needled felts or needled floor covering fabrics. Machine sewing comprises a system of combined loop movements which involve reciprocation of a yarn transporting needle.
Prior art tufting, needling and sewing systems generally employ mechanical components such as cam discs, tension rollers, crank actuating systems, etc. These systems are of relatively low efficiency, requiring high energy input, and in use have large inertias. Furthermore, it is at best difficult to vary working parameters such as pattern and stitch length with these prior art systems--certainly on rapid timescales, e.g. on a stitch by stitch basis. U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,717 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,489 describe an electromagnetic drive system which may be applied to sewing machines to provide synchronized motion of needle and bobbin carrier. These documents represent an early possibly seminal--attempt to move away from traditional mechanical components.